STRESS with a Capital S

Today was report card day. It's a really stressful time for me. Three times a year I get to experience mind-numbing stress and debilitate my family with my vile temper.

I like to think that I would be diligent with my responsibilities in any case, but I teach in an interesting community. It's a suburban community in which most of the population is composed of urban professionals with college educations and expectations of the same for their children. Many of them tend to hold the teacher responsible if any of their little darlings get a mark which doesn't please them. It is very important for me to have documentation up the wazoo in order to justify every mark on every report card.

Next week - Tuesday and Wednesday evenings to be exact - parent-teacher interviews will be held. Those are the height of stress. Christmas can begin in our household and in my heart when those are over with.

The kicker of it all is that last night we received an email from my mother-in-law informing us that my sister-in-law (Main Man's sister) is experiencing a very stressful time. I believe the quote was "STRESS with a capital S". Her stressful time is that she is in the process of preparing to move her family into her dream house (with the financial help of my mother-in-law; it's a long story - for another time, perhaps). She (my sister-in-law), incidentally, is a stay-at-home-mom (something I've dreamed of being all my life but, alas, I don't have the nerve to ask others to pay my bills; if I sound bitter, I am).

My mother-in-law will be staying at our house overnight tonight. If my sister-in-law's STRESS becomes a topic of conversation, I may pull someone's tongue out.

Christmas Mysteries

The Christmas commercials have begun.

I'm excited about Christmas. It's my favourite time of year. I love it for many of the reasons that other people hate it. I love the buzz, the excitement, the gift-buying, the card-writing, the concerts, the parties, the getting together with family and friends, and the heart-bursting happiness of it all.

If this season makes me so happy, why do the commercials have the effect on me that they do? They can make me cry at the drop of a hat.

What's up with that?

Thankful Thursday

This week I am grateful...

...that it hasn't permanently snowed yet. Autumn has seemed longer than usual this year. I'm pleased.

...that seven-year-olds actually sleep during sleepovers.

...for slow cookers.

...that I got a raise on my last pay-cheque.

...for long weekends.

...for the excitement of election time, especially when the big picture ends up pretty much the way I want it to end up. (Too bad the little picture didn't.)

...for my church community.

...that Halloween is over.

...that Christmas is just around the corner.

...for those brave men and women who serve their country in the military.

Have a great week, all!

Mother Guilt

I'm encountering heavy doses of "mother guilt" these days. It's no one's fault. No one is intentionally doing it to me. It's just me, wishing I could do a better job.

#3 had a terrible cough in the night. He should probably sleep in this morning and stay home from school. But no, I can't let him do that. I'm already taking a day off later this week, so I can't just out-of-the-blue call in and say I won't be at school today.

#2 is performing a reading at his school's Remembrance Day ceremony later this week. Of course, I am unable to attend.

#1 has a volleyball game after school tomorrow, but, because of musical rehearsal, I can't go to that, either. (Side note: I've only missed one other game so far, and Main Man hasn't been to any of them. I suppose this time it may be his turn.)

I just wish I could be everywhere. We're constantly told at work about how expectations are high, and accountability is very important, but that leaves no room sometimes for expectations and accountability at home.

Why am I a Food Fool?

I wish I could stop eating. I keep sneaking items from the boys' Halloween candy stashes. The worst part is I don't even care what I grab. I scarf down the first thing I touch as I reach blindly into the pillow slip.

Also, for some reason I can't convince my family to eat leftovers. I open the fridge and I see these great leftovers that I don't want to see go to waste, so I fill a little bowl and toss it in the microwave. "Mmmmm," I think, "that sure tastes good. Maybe just a little more..."

I think I've eaten several meals worth of hamburger soup and spaghetti over the last few days - only it's been between meals.

Why can't I stop eating???

Rambles...

We're having a sleepover at our house tonight. #3 is having a little friend sleep over. Come to think of it, it's the first time he's had an overnight friend. I think the bigger boys were almost as excited as #3, as they like this little friend, as well.

Right now the four of them - and my biggest boy, as well, of course - are in the livingroom watching Spiderman 3 while I'm relegated to the kitchen. I'm doing just fine, though. I've got Gone with the Wind on Turner Classic Movies, blogger, and a glass of red wine. Frankly, I think we all feel that we have the best of the deal. Isn't that the way it should be?

Life has gotten the best of me once again, and it has been much too long since I've written. We are in election season here in our province. Main Man is usually quite the political animal, but that hasn't really been the case this time. We don't even have a sign on our lawn. Scandalous!

My biggest interest election-wise is that my niece's husband is running for office. Unfortunately, I'll not have the opportunity to vote for him as he is not running in our city, but I've been sending victory vibes his way constantly, so I hope everything goes well for him. I know that both of them have been working very hard, so, regardless of the outcome, they will be very happy that it will be over soon.

"You should be kissed - often - and by someone who knows how." I love Gone With the Wind!

Life continues to be busy at school. We have begun rehearsals for this year's musical - The Pirates of Penzance. It is always a highlight of the school year, and, although I enjoy the rehearsals, the time commitment is a little overwhelming: every noon hour and an hour every day after school until our performance dates in February. I feel like much of the rest of my life takes a backseat during musical season.

"I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' babies!"

Well, they've decided to take a break from Spiderman, so I've been challenged to a game of Operation. I'm off to remove a funny bone.

Hope this rambling note finds all of you well and happy. Cheers!